Podgorica, Montenegro (10 October 2017) — Deputy Prime Minister Milutin Simović said that the Montenegro Airlines’ restructuring programme is underway and that certain politicians, for the sake of one-time political interest, wish to do damage to the national airline…

Podgorica, Montenegro (10 October 2017) — Deputy Prime Minister Milutin Simović said that the Montenegro Airlines’ restructuring programme is underway and that certain politicians, for the sake of one-time political interest, wish to do damage to the national airline.

“We do not need to clarify what is clear to everyone and what someone has forgotten in the meantime – that the Montenegro Airlines’ restructuring programme was adopted in 2012, and confirmed in February this year, and that its content, as well as the funds needed for the implementation of the programme, including a part that is the subject of the Government’s latest decision, is still valid. I am sure that we need to know what this is all about. Because of a simple, one-time political interest, someone wishes to do damage to the company, not to any company, but to the national airline. This would also do damage to Montenegro and the state budget,” said Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Policy and Financial System Milutin Simović on Tuesday responding to the question of the Television of Montenegro to comment on the statement of Raško Konjević, MP, from the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

DPM Simović said that there is no need to spend too much energy on clarifying what should be clear.

“It should also be clear to Mr Konjević and everyone who should have recollection of what is the cause of the company’s troubles and of the significant amount of time they spent managing the company. Namely, five members of the SDP presidency were in continuity members of the governing bodies of the Montenegro Airlines and the Airports of Montenegro,” the Deputy Prime Minister underlined.

Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Policy and Financial System reiterated that the Montenegro Airlines significantly contributes to the tourist product of Montenegro, that this year alone, the national airline transported 550,000 passengers, that it directly and indirectly contributed with EUR 165 million, and that it plans to transport 620,000 passengers and make a contribution of EUR 200 million in 2018.

“Why would someone want to make the company disappear overnight, to get bankrupt and let the damage of tens of millions of euros fall at the expense of the budget? Why would someone want to do damage to their own country,” Deputy Prime Minister Simović noted when asked whether individual political interest is worth all this.

“I think it is not worth it, I think we all should gather in the institutions of the system, in the parliament, where we all need to put forwards our arguments and strive for progress. This is our mission and obligation. I leave Mr Konjević to his Sunday press conferences, I leave him to read some papers he gets in a familiar way, I leave Mr Konjević to wave the papers that have a degree of confidence. But, I beg him and others not to do harm to the company and the entire country,” Deputy Prime Minister Milutin Simović concluded.